Envelop moistening and sealing device.



J. D. YOUNG.

ENVELOP MGISTENING AND SEALING DEVICE.

AFPLIGATION FILED JULY 8,1911.

1,035,294., Patented Aug. 13,1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J, D. YOUNG.

ENVELOP MOISTENING AND SEALING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 8,1911

Patented Aug. 13, 1912l 2 SHEBTSASHEET 2.

WITNESSES Z3 UNITED sTA'rEsrATENT OFFICE.

JOHN D. YOUNG, I LEECHBURG. PENNSYLVANIA.

ENVELOP MOISTENING AND SEALING DEVICE.

l ,035.294, Specification of Application tiled July 8, 1.911.

To all 707mm it may concern..u

lle ity known that l. .Touw D. Yo'ibzo. a eitizen of the United States of Amt-riva. residing at Leechhurg, in the eountju of Armstrong and State of Pennsylvania. have invented eei'tain new and useful lnaprovements in Envelop Moistening and Sealing lerires. of which the following;f is a speeitieat ion.y relerence being;r had therein to the :ierompanjfu ingr drawings. i

This invention relates to an envelop moistening and sealingV device, and the primarjVY object of my invention to provide u device that can be advantageously used in oltives, largo mercantile houses and other ..-.--1tal' lishments having a large number of envl-lops to seal, the device being jzoi'istrueted wherelilv the .sealing operation van he expellitioody and eeonomcaliy pei formed.

Another objefi of this invention is to providear. envelop moistening; and sealing de Vive that can Yoe folded lo orvupy a rompan:- tiif'ely' aznfll f-paee when not in use. or to provide a .:ffll parool that can be rari-ind as mail inoltra'.

A further object ot this invention i to provide a device of the above type vor dating; ot' romparatively few parts thaty are strong and durable, inexpensive to ninnufrirture, elle); to manipulate. and highlj7 elhcient for nioislening and sealing envelops.

YWith the above and other objeete in` View, the invention resides in the now-l mnstruf=- tion. ron'iliunation and arrangement ol' parts lo he hewi after ,l-lweiliually desrrihed and then fflaianed.

lrferemfe will .now be had to the drawings forming a parl. of' this specification, wht-rein there if: iluatraled a preferred emliodiment ot' the invention, lint il is to lio ondere-lood ilu/i the'zflructuflf he varied or changed. :is to sine. [,uwportorn :ind manner ot' assemblage, without donar ingr from the ewipe ol the appended claims. lf'igrure l is a persolw envelop moimenng and an end View at the vien slum" the upon the inoislrninj Helling ,wililsrntllg'l will f u 'i l l l l l Letters Patent- Patented Allg. 13, 1912.

Serial No. 637,428.

The moistenin device compriscsa platform] substanti. ly rectangular in lan and having the rear edge thereof provi ed with an extension 2. and this extension in plan conforms to the shape of an envelop Hap. lhe extension has a reeess 3 for a pad 4 of absorbent material, as felt, adapted to hold water or mucilage. The upper surface of the pad is removed from the surface of the extension. and the gum or adhesively Coated llap ol an envelop ia adapted to be pressed into engagement with the pad as will presently a ppear.

The platform l is'supported in an elevated posi'lo-:f hjv a transverse leg 5 and longitudinal .leg lla' le? 6 being arranged adinfront to the edges of the extension 2, 'ith the leg 5 central of the platform. `The leg 5 protrudes beyond the extension 2 of the latloi-in l. and is provided with an upri t 7. The upright has a vertical slot 8, an pivotally mounted in said slot bv a transverse i t: "wirwardl-v extendin arm of r inlad l. 'ilm pressertllead ll has angnlarly disposed integral. presser plate l2 ada pted.y when in a hlwered position, to enter the ref-o .s f ot' the platform 1. and force the flap ot' an envelop info engagement with the pad l. the correct. position ot' the flap :chow said pm' is governed h v a vertical rib lf carried h v she rear edge of the extension 2, and When :said presser head is lowered. the plate l! rides into engagement with the inner side ol said rili. The top of the presser head has a serrated linger piece 14, and said head is normally held in an elevated position by a coiled retrattile springr l5. having om` end thereof attarhed to the ui'vighf' 7, av at lo. und the opposite end thereof at fuelled to the outer end of `the arm l as at l?. ,lhil presser head Il is limited in its upper mmfrmvnt by a butler 18, carried by a right angular extension 19 of"` the upright 7.

To turililate the manipulation of an envelop upon the plat form l, thtl forward edge ot' the 'ilatl'orm ha` a transverse groove 20 providing elearaneo or the thumb or fingers gripping the envelop,

The platform l a i hlwl will rut alim moon mime

lll)

through an opening 26 provided therefor in the foot Q0, and arranged transversely of the, lower end of the pin 25 is a Cotter pin Q7 to prevent said pin from becoming aeeidentally displaced from the opening 26. The pin 25 is of sufficient length to rest upon a table or other support 28 when the device is in use, and to permit of the sealing platform 24 being raised and swung over the platform 1, as best shown in Figs. 3 and The outer end of the sealing platform 24 has a foldable leg Q9 hinged tothe end of the platform as at 30, whereby it can he swung outwardly to engage the end of the platform, and in such position being in the same lane as said platform. The ends of the eg Z9 are braced by straps 3l, pivotally connected to the edges of the platform, as at 32, and loosely connected, by means of pins and slots 33, to the ends of the leg 29.

The rear edge of the sealing platform 24 is provided with a longitudinal strip 34 to limit the movement of an envelop upon the sealing platform. Hingedl 'to this guide strip, as at 35, is a presser head 3G Corresponding in plan to the shape of an envelop Hap., The under side of the presser head is provided with a strip'of felt, or other yieldable material 37, adapted to prevent the flap of an envelop from being injured when pressure is brought to bear upon the head 36. The rear edge of the sealing platform is provided with an upright 38, having a forwardly extending or overhanging arm 39. Movably mounted in the forward end of the arm 39 is a push pin 40, having the upper end thereof provided with a knob or button 41, and the lower end thereof rounded and provided with a transverse pin 42. which limits the upward movement of said push pin 40. The lower rounded end of the push pin 40 engages in a longitudinal groove 43 provided therefor in a met-allie platt` 44 eountersunk in the top of the presser head 36, and the inner end of said plate has an apertured lug 45 ':onnef'ted by a eoiled retraetile spring 46 to the under side of the arm 39, said spring normally retaining the pressure head in an elevated position.

The rear edge, of the sealing platform Q4, at the outer end thereof. is provided with aresilient rlip 4?. adapted to ride into engagement with the forward edge of the moistening platform l and engage over a dependingI pin '1S rarried by the moistening platform. rlhis resilient elip is adapted to retain the sealing platform Q-t in a folded position upon the platform l, with the presser head 3G eonl'ronting the presser head ll.

A fter an envelop rtl) has ref'eived its rontents` ity is plat-ed upon the platform l with the flap opened and the gummed fare thereof confronting the rer-.ess 3. The preeser head ll is then lowered to force the i 1 l l gummed surface of a flap into engagement with the pad 4, whereby the gum'med surt'are will be inoistened. l/Vhen the head 11 is released the envelop is removed and placed upon the platform 24:. ln performing this operation, the envelop is shifted beneath the presser head 2&7. whereby the moistrned flap will he folded and lowered on to the back of the envelop. The inward movement of the envelop being limited by the longitudinal .strip 84. The knob or button tt of the push pin 4() is then struck a blow and said pin lowers the hinged presser head 36, whereby the flap will be sealed in engagernent. with the body of the envelop. When the presser head 36 reeedes, the enn velop can be easily removed and is ready to receive a stamp, if not previously stamped for mailing purposes.

l attach considerable inmortanro to th folding of the sealing platform, as a small parcel can be made of the entire derive, and eonsefpiently the device ean be handled by a. mail order business.

rl`o prevent the device from injuring the polished ysnrfaee of a desk` or other support upon whit-h it is plared. the legs and 6., the foot 2t). and the foldable leg 2S) can be provided with felt or other Vieldalile material 5l, thereby preventing a surfaee from being injured during operation of the device.

Sinee easiY aeeess is had to the pad 4, it ran he easily maintained in a moist condition for thoroughly moistening the gummed or adhesively eoated surface of an envelop flap.

The deviee eau be made of light and durable wood` with (-ertain parts of metal. and

it is suseeptible to any desired ornamenta- K tion.

lV hat l rlaim isz-- l. devife for the purpose set forth romprising an envelop moistening deviee` au envelop sealing device. one of said devices provided with an offset portion` and means for pivotallv oonneeting said offset portion ot one. devire to the other device and rapa-- lilo of being vertirally moved whereby one of said derives van be raised and swung upon the other of said deviees.

A\ deviee for the purpose set forth eomprisiug an envelop lsealer provided 1with a sealing platform. an envelop nioistener provided with an envelop anpporting plat form. the platform of the Sealer being ot' less width than the moistener platform, and means for pivotally ronneeting the end.u of said platforimtogether and rapahle ol` lieing \rrtir-all-v moved tlnrelo, permitting the sealing platform heine' raised and swung upon the meistern-r plat form. wid plat forniy when extended having their upper faire projefting in the same plane.

/\ (lf-vire for the purpose ,Cet forh lil() 

